Iona Russell (left) was diagnosed with clinical depression and was stressed from working long hours in the court system seven years ago

Perhaps predictably, Gwyneth Paltrow is a fan, and her wellness site Goop suggests grounding could alleviate the symptoms of arthritis, insomnia and depression.

The wellness industry has seized on the trend, marketing a glut of products that claim to help you 'ground' indoors by creating a negatively charged environment — from mats and bedding, to wristbands, patches and conductive footwear.

Last week, actress Olivia Colman raised eyebrows by accepting an award barefoot, having ditched the red heels she wore to the London ceremony.

While she may simply have had enough of wearing uncomfortable heels, should the rest of us consign our shoes to the wardrobe more often?

Iona, 48, certainly thinks so. 'Thanks to grounding, I am more in control and no longer such a 'shouty' mum,' she says. 'My ex-husband even started calling me Zen Iona. Grounding left me feeling peaceful and it meant that, in home and work situations, I didn't react in the way I used to.'

Iona, who is single and lives in Edinburgh, practises grounding in her garden. 'I feel soothed by the earth under my feet,' she says. 'I take deep breaths in and out, imagining the air moving from my head to my soles. While it can be cold, I'm lucky to have a large garden with 200-year-old trees.'

Iona, who is now a life coach, adds: 'When I'm in London coaching, I often go to Holland Park, take off my shoes and walk barefoot. It's like recharging your batteries. I'm often asked what I'm doing and, when I explain, I typically get called a 'hippy'!

'One of my favourite pastimes is to walk barefoot around a labyrinth. The earth and energy feel different each time. One of my favourites is near the ocean on the west coast of Scotland.

Stephanie Johnson (pictured), 31, credits 'grounding' with keeping her anxiety at bay during the final months of her pregnancy

'The insights you get are amazing. If I ask a question and walk without distraction, the answer always comes through.'

Grounding has been around for more than 100 years. The benefits were first lauded by German back-to-nature movements in the 19th century.

In the Twenties, U.S. doctors investigated the practice of sleeping while 'grounded', after finding that patients with insomnia were lying on the ground, or using copper wires attached to grounded pipes, to 'connect' to the earth. They believed that charges in the air were stopping them sleeping.

Now, some people sleep with grounding wristbands, which Iona has tried. 'I liked the idea of the bands,' she says. 'They're made from fabric and a snap stud connects to a coil that can be 'grounded' by plugging it into electricity. But I didn't get on with them. I found them odd to wear in bed.

'I have a friend who has set up a complex grounding system from his bed, connected to a pole in the earth outside. But I've decided just to ground by walking on the grass. I look at the clouds while feeling drawn to the Earth. I take a deep breath and let Mother Nature do her work.'

Most modern devotees appear to agree that walking outside daily is the most effective method. And, while the scientific verdict on the influence of negatively charged particles is lacking, there are mental health benefits to spending time outside.

The NHS and mental health charity Mind recommend grounding techniques, such as walks, to help people cope with flashbacks, nightmares or PTSD — though being barefoot is optional.

Mental health nurse Jo Hemming says: 'Walking outside (barefoot, if you want to) is one of a range of strategies we recommend to ground yourself.

'Others include stroking a soft, furry blanket or pet, splashing cold water on your face, or holding a warm drink and being aware of its taste. These sensations connect you with the here and now.

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'Studies show grounding supports a reduction in anxiety and increases wellbeing and resilience. Practise and repetition is key, though, because it's not an overnight cure.'

Some wellness firms have encouraged the notion that to properly ground ourselves, we need to buy specially designed products. But with some costing as much as £130, it's no wonder many dismiss it as hokum.

GP and men's health expert Dr Jeff Foster questions the 'pseudo-science' behind these items. 'Just suppose these products do ground us. At what point do they become more or less effective? Should we wear shoes or socks? They make no sense at all,' he says.

He also believes the wellness industry is demonstrating a poor understanding of why grounding works. 'What does make sense is that it gets us out in nature,' he says. 'When we're out of our offices and away from phones and social media, it is almost meditative. Of course we are going to feel better.

'It's got nothing to do with the theories behind positive or negative charges in the body.

Former management consultant Lauren Chiren (middle), has been grounding for two years and even walks barefoot in snow

'Frustratingly, some patients bring it up as something they are trying when medicine doesn't work. They'll spend a fortune on seeing someone and then buying their paraphernalia. But I liken it to homeopathy — as soon as they start to feel better, they will claim that's why, confusing correlation with causation.'

Such views, however, don't put off women like former management consultant Lauren Chiren, who has been grounding for two years. She even walks barefoot in snow. 'I've built up my tolerance to it — icy conditions take some getting used to,' she says. 'Walking barefoot is an extension of who I am now, and it leaves me calm.'

Lauren, 50, started grounding when she went through the menopause. 'It was a wake-up call for me to take better care of myself. For a while, the symptoms were overwhelming. Grounding is one of the ways I look after myself.

'I recognised that this is something I have always done. I love being outdoors barefoot and will automatically take off my shoes. As a child, my parents struggled to get me to wear them.'

Lauren, a menopause coach, walks barefoot in her garden for at least ten minutes every morning and evening.

'In summer, I spend as much time outdoors barefoot as I can. I'll read and listen to podcasts,' she says.

'A couple of years ago, I had a quiet patch at work. Instead of panicking, I built a veggie patch. My son was amused, watching me create raised beds in bare feet.

'Putting my hands on the soil and working with the earth and seeds gave me a sense of purpose. It put everything into perspective.'

Professional mentor Suzie Parkus works with stressed-out, successful women. She says: 'There is an assumption in the workplace that you can handle anything that's thrown at you. But pressures of life, relationships and work leave many of us feeling out of touch with the natural world.

'With grounding, peace washes over you and you feel the soothing effects of being among nature.'

Meanwhile, Stephanie Johnson, whose background is in HR, started practising grounding at university. 'I started doing it regularly when I was 24 and going through a difficult relationship,' she says.

'Until then, my go-to relaxation method would have been grabbing a bottle of wine. But I taught this strategy as part of my job in HR and, one day, it dawned on me — I needed to do it, too.

Stephanie, 31, credits grounding with keeping her anxiety at bay in the final months of her pregnancy. She was tired at work and her partner had been made redundant.

'Grounding helps me guide my thoughts away from one area and redirects me to the present moment,' she says. 'My breath will lengthen and, sometimes, I use visual imagery to meditate. I'll imagine I'm in my favourite forest, picturing the trees and flowers.

'When I feel the earth or grass between my toes, it's relaxing. I drag my feet across the lawn so the blades tickle my soles.'

She also claims grounding has helped get her son to sleep. 'When he was a newborn, it was beautiful being outside with him in my arms,' she says. 'I relaxed, and he would drift off without any bother.

'Today, my son is a year old and he is beginning to benefit more from grounding. We'll take our shoes off and practise it in the park if we're playing. He loves being on the grass. He's given me a new appreciation for grounding.

'It relaxes me so much that I even ask my partner to stroke my feet in the same way the grass touches it, because it triggers the memory of being grounded outside.'

Stephanie has often extolled the virtues of grounding to her partner, but with little success.

'He thinks I'm bonkers!' she says. 'But then, he's not a 'fluffy' type. Everyone has their own stress reliever. He'll reach for chocolate, whereas I'll slip off my shoes and sink my feet into the ground.'